identifying a caterpillar

[gregcropper]

We have found,in Yorkshire,a caterpillar which we can't identify. We found it in a grass meadow where there is a range of native British trees. It is 6.5 cm long,smooth and brown above a white angled midline and darker brown underneath. It has two black eye dots and 'horns' on its tail end. More to the point, it has eaten a chunk out of our wooden clothes prop and then used the bits to fabricate a kind of cocoon in which it is currently pupating.It also has two companions. Any ideas?

[burnhal]

possibly elephant hawk moth

[Cetti]

Sounds like burnhal has it. The size is right. The link below is a UK Caterpillar ID site and you will see quite a few pics of the Elephant Hawkmoth on this page.
http://www.javajane.co.uk/Hawk%20Sphinx%20moth s/index.html

[gregcropper]

Thanks for Elephant hawk moth suggestion- I've checked it out though and it doesn't match.

[Cetti]

It does sound like some kind of Hawk Moth greg, with the horn on the tail.
I know the colour is totally wrong on the picture below but have a look at the overall shape, head, white diagonal stripes plus horns just to establish if the shape is sort-of, or wildly-out. It might help someone else.

http://www.warrenphotographic.co.uk/mdh/03200. htm